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'Dancing With the Stars': Blogosphere in a tizzy over Bristol Palin's advance to the finals

November 17, 2010 | 10:16
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The "Dancing With the Stars" voters have come out in droves to keep Bristol "the Pistol" Palin in the competition. And now the blogosphere is speaking out about the controversial news that the improved, yet still low-scoring teen activist and political daughter beat out the likes of Kurt Warner, Rick Fox, Audrina Patridge and Brandy to make it to the Season 11 finals.

"After Tuesday night, it should be plainly obvious to anyone even barely paying attention to the 11th season that ABC and 'Dancing With the Stars' have -- for want of a better phrase -- a 'Bristol problem,'" wrote Verne Gay in Newsday.

Jimmy Kimmel called Brandy the latest victim of "Hurricane Bristol" and suggested "an organized Tea Party voting bloc" was behind Brandy's elimination when the ousted singer and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Perhaps the most violent reaction came from a 67-year-old Wisconsin man, who had a standoff with authorities and was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment when he reportedly shot his television after Bristol Palin's performance, citing that "he didn’t think she was a good dancer."

And of course, there was no shortage of theories posted by commenters themselves. Here's a sampling of the Bristol buzz on the Internet Wednesday morning:

"The ONLY reason Bristol is still there is due to viewers votes. SHE CANNOT DANCE and DEFINITELY doesn't deserve to be in the finals. This season's voting results had nothing to do with talent or skill because if it did Bristol should have been voted off the 1st week! It's a popularity contest that has gone HORRIBLY wrong at other peoples expense," said SB.

"It is no shock that Brisotl is in the Finals... look at Kelly O (famous daughter, not the best dancer... made the finals)... the show is Not Just About Dancing! If it was, Kyle would be gone too (with his poor posture, and scattered footwork at times). It is part dancing, part a journey, part entertainment, and part voting simply for whom you want to win. I vote for Bristol because I like her performances... she's not being political at all," explained Keith.

"Haters. The girl embodies what the show is about. Non dancers learning to dance. I can't stand her mother, but I am completely taken with Bristol, she is real. And that is where her votes are coming from. They are coming from the people that realize that that is what they would look like up there," wrote in Stefanie.

And there are those who believe that Brandy was ousted by her own hand. "brandy's obsession to win was a bit of a turn off. THe other contestants seemed like they were there to have fun. I picked against brandy for that reason alone," said Carlos.